UC to help ranchers survive winter 2013-14

The first agricultural operations to feel the impact of a drought are dryland ranchers, many of whom rely almost entirely on annual rainfall to grow food for their livestock.

The UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources will hold a drought workshop from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in Browns Valley to help these ranchers live on to fight another day, said Glenn Nader, UC Cooperative Extension advisor in Sutter-Yuba counties.

"From previous droughts we've learned that feeding the whole herd through the drought may spell the end of business," Nader said.

"We plan to provide information on management options and impacts of drought on dryland range and irrigated pasture, feeding options to consider during a drought and how to decide what cows to sell."

Nader is organizing the workshop, "Mitigating Drought - Optimizing Pasture and Supplemental Feed, and Managing Risk," with Jeremy James, director of the UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center.

The workshop is designed to provide ranchers with information to manage their herds during a period of low feed supply.

Practical tools and strategies to be presented include:--- Getting the most effective use out of limited dryland and irrigated pasture --- Alternative protein and roughage supplementation --- Understanding the economics of supplementation --- Managing animal health --- Making culling decisions --- Tax and insurance issues related to drought The meeting will be at the UC Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center, 8279 Scott Forbes Road, Browns Valley.

Registration is $10 and includes lunch. To register, fill in the online form at //ucanr.edu/droughtworkshop. The forum will also be webcast for those that cannot attend in person. Register using the same online form.